


Sliver of truth

by Krocodile_lord



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 09:27:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14517468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krocodile_lord/pseuds/Krocodile_lord
Summary: Cloud, Barret, and the power of comedy.





	Sliver of truth

The rain was falling on the red stones.  
“BBQ with hot sauce.”  
Puddles gathered at the entrance to the cave, threatening to flood it.  
“Sizzlin’ hot espresso.”  
The streams murmured sad tunes.  
“Cognac, the kind that can kill a horse”.  
The sound of drops was simultaneously irritating and relaxing...  
"And an apple pie, right out of the oven."  
"Barrett, will you shut up!" - Exploded Tifa, sitting in the far corner of the cave. Aerith, who was lying leaning against Tifa's shoulder, jumped. Barrett continued to look at the falling rain. He was very sad. He had long been accustomed to hunger, and the cold, and even to irritated Tifa, but he was still very sad.  
They were caught in a heavy rain on the way to the Cosmo Canyon. Cloud, Barrett and Red XIII were ready to move on, but Tifa forced them to find shelter. "Or else Barret will rust," she said, but the truth that everyone suddenly realised was that Aerith wasn’t used to such long walks and was about to fall from fatigue. 

And so they found a secluded cave, first driving out the Sahagins living there. The girls lay down next to the wet, but warm Red XIII, embracing him like a huge cat. Barrett regretted that they hadn’t took at least one blanket from home, and immediately began to think about Midgar, about Marlene, and about delicious food.  
"Hot chicken soup," Cloud muttered.  
“Not you too!” exclaimed Tifa.  
Barrett laughed.  
"I'll get to you, tin man, just you wait" Tifa showed her fist.  
"You can $@^# me in any way you want, only after I get to a big plate of hot wings," said Barrett.  
"We are all dying of hunger here, and you’re really not helping..." began Tifa.  
"Sleep sounds so nice," Aerith sighed softly, and ashamed Tifa quieted down. Barrett stretched out his lips in a smile, but said nothing.

After a while, when the girls and Red fell asleep, Barrett glanced sideways at Cloud. He sat and silently looked at the rain, hugging his arms. The look of the pale skin of his shoulders and the barely noticeable trembling distracted Barrett’s mind in a strange way, but he could not turn away.  
At first, Barret didn’t liked the arrogant Cloud, Shinra’s chain dog, but soon he changed his mind. Cloud was very kind to Marlene. He gave her a flower. Marlene loved flowers. Barrett fought to ensure that Marlene had a chance to see them.  
Girls obviously liked Cloud, and not only for his beautiful eyes, but for being a rare species of men these days - a Normal Guy.

Cloud also looked great in dress - that’s what Tifa said, anyway. Barrett laughed with her, but choked when she smirked, adding something else:  
"When this pervert asked him if he had a boyfriend, Cloud said, "And the name’s Barrett." Me and Aerith just about died!”  
"Well, @& #," Barrett thought dumbfounded. Cloud, ^% &#, had an interesting sense of humor.

"Hey, SOLDIER boy," Barrett called, "are you cold?"  
Cloud shrugged.  
"I had worse," he answered.  
"Well, okay" Barrett chuckled. “I'm not cold. All I need is think about Shinra and I start to boil with anger, incredibly convenient.”  
And then, before he could stop, he blurted out:  
"Want me to warm you up?"

"^$@&!!!" - Barrett's brain was panicking. Cloud looked at him with a surprised look, and Barrett grinned at him, hiding fear. Finally, he could not stand it and looked away, again staring at the rain. It was so quiet that Cloud could surely hear his heartbeat.  
Suddenly there were loud footsteps of heavy military boots, and Cloud sat down beside him, leaning against Barret's huge body.  
"S-SOLDIER boy, I… was just joking," Barrett muttered.  
Cloud grunted and hugged his neck:  
“Personally, I always answer for my jokes.”  
“Serious?” Barrett stared.  
"Dead serious," Cloud promised.  
"For every joke?" Barrett asked, and his only hand cautiously laid on Cloud's waist.  
Cloud thought for a bit.  
"Well, for those I remember, anyway," he said.  
Barrett went quiet for a moment and then said:  
“It’ll do.”  
They calmed down, not wanting to wake Tifa up.

The rain was falling.


End file.
